Blue Ridge Resource Conservation and Development Region
The Blue Ridge Resource Conservation and Development area evolved from the New River Valley and the New River-Highlands RC&D projects. The New River Valley RC&D area consisted of the North Carolina counties of Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga along with two (2) counties and one town in Virginia.
Between 1977 and 1983, the New River Valley RC&D Area did not have a full time coordinator. The sponsors kept the area active under the coordination of an acting coordinator. In late 1983, the project area was renamed the New River-Highlands RC&D Area and expanded to include nine (9) additional counties in Virginia. A full time coordinator was assigned, with headquarters in Galax, Virginia. On July 12, 1991, a group of concerned individuals and potential sponsors met in Jefferson and passed a resolution to seek reorganization of three North Carolina counties in the New River-Highlands RC&D Area in order to form a new RC&D area. The new area would be expanded to include four additional counties in Northwest North Carolina, Avery, Mitchell, Wilkes, and Yancey.
Representatives from the seven counties chose the name of Blue Ridge RC&D Area as it is in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains and the Blue Ridge Plateau. The Blue Ridge Parkway either passes through or borders each county: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey.
